Devlog #14 (Patreon)

Good evening!

As I mentioned last week, I paused work on the Chloé scene and started developing a smartphone app. It’s hard to say much without spoiling anything, but since this doesn’t reveal any story content, I’ll make an exception to my usual no-spoilers rule and tell you a bit more.

If you’d rather not know, stop reading now 😉

The idea was to create some kind of social media app. Some games use an Instagram-style feature, where characters post pictures and you can like or comment. It helps make the world feel more alive, but it’s also quite passive (you just click a like button), and it takes a lot of time to create all those images and funny captions. I wasn’t sure it was worth the effort.

I also thought about a BeReal-style mechanic. I didn’t go with that either, but it inspired the system I’m working on now. In short: you can receive challenges from characters in-game (like “take a picture of X”), and if you accept and complete them, you earn a currency for the app, called ‘sugar’. You can then use that sugar to challenge others to do stuff.

Of course, you’ll be able to challenge the girls — and yes, that can lead to some spicy content 😉

Because sugar is limited, you’ll have to choose who you want to challenge, which makes for meaningful choices and adds replayability. Completing challenges can also unlock small scenes with the girl you picked, giving you more time with her without bloating the main story.

Here’s a screenshot of the current version:

(Note: both the text and images are just placeholders 😉)

It’s still very much a work in progress, so everything is subject to change. But it’s more or less functional: I’ve finished a tutorial section (where Andreas explains everything in his own unique style), and the first real use of the app is already coded. There’s still work to do, but it’s coming together. I think it’s going to be a fun addition to the game. And don’t worry: it’s mostly optional, so if it’s not your thing, you can just ignore it.

I don’t think this has been done before, but then again, I haven’t played every AVN out there. I just like to think it’s a pretty cool idea 😉

Next week, I’ll be jumping back into the Chloé scene.

Take care, and see you next week!

– ilPazzo